ICIS - Search Articles by Date : March 07 2005 - March 13 2005

People on the move
DSM DSM says it intends to appoint ex-Celanese chairman Claudio Sonder and Pierre Hochuli as members of its supervisory board. Sonder, who is a.... more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

New projects summary
As reported in ECN 7, 14 and 21 February 2005 more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Biotech IPOs Get Off to a Slow Start in 2005
While the US biotechnology industry saw the window for initial public offerings open wide in 2004, it seems to have been only ajar for the first few.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Emerging Pharma: Which Companies Should Be on the Radar?
As the innovation drought continues at big pharma, emerging pharmaceutical companies become increasingly important to driving industry growth. One.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Sanders Gets SCI Medal
Daniel Sanders, the retired president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company and vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp., was awarded the 2005 Chemical Industry.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Sabic Mulls Europe Cracker Expansion
Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) is planning a 550,000 metric ton ethylene cracker expansion at its Geleen, the Netherlands, facility that would.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Amines: Prices, Capacity Increase
The overcapacity that once plagued the amines sector seems to have passed. Producers are not only raising prices in response to escalating energy and.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Industrial Specialties
Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC is increasing the price of its nitrile-based amines and amine derivatives and its Witbreak demulsifiers by 5c. per.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Shell Sets Sights on Qatar
The startup of Shell Chemicals’ proposed cracker in Qatar in the early part of the next decade would coincide with strong demand for petrochemicals.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Thailand Imports More PE, PP
Thailand’s imports of polyethylene rose by 36.14 percent last year to $270.39 million, compared to $198.61 million in 2003, and its imports of.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Tianjin Eyes 2008 Project
Tianjin Petrochemical plans to start work on its 1 million metric ton-per-year cracker project in Dagang, Tianjin, China, this year and bring it on.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Winsway Plans Massive Aromatics Complex
Winsway Group plans to bring on 5 million metric tons of aromatics capacity in Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China, in phases, a source close to the project.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Business in Brief
Schweizerhall Buys Cimex Pharma more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Jobs and People
Movements up the corporate ladder. more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Profits Leap for Borealis
Operating profit at Borealis, one of Europe’s leading polyolefins producers, went up fourfold to €104 million ($137 million) in the last quarter of.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Cost Cuts, Top-Line Growth for Clariant
Clariant expects to double to SFr 300 million ($256 million) savings from restructuring this year, while achieving higher volume sales and prices. more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

Sustainable Chemistry Project Launched
A European research project onsustainable chemistry has been launched at a stakeholders’ meeting in Barcelona, Spain, with the European Commission.... more
(11 March 2005 20:25)

US Trends: Ethylene just keeps rising
Ethylene is rising steadily and production issues at Shell plants may lead to a tighter market. Propylene stays balanced, but styrene prices remain.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Plastic potential
Asia’s polymer producers are keen to profit from the burgeoning Chinese demand, but volatile feedstock costs and unpredictable buying behaviour are a.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

New projects summary
As reported in ACN 7-13 March 2005 more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Hit by fuel-oil price hike
THE Indonesian government’s decision to increase fuel-oil prices will reduce Asahimas Chemical’s operating profit for this year by more than US$1m,.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Hanwha ‘can expect another good year’
HANWHA Chemical can expect its sterling financial performance in 2004 to continue this year, said an analyst. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Indian budget offers little
THE Indian budget for 2005-06, unveiled on 28 February, had little to offer the chemicals industry besides a reduction in the peak customs duty. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Citigroup assesses Inchon Oil after bid rebuff
INCHON Oil looks likely to be acquired by Citigroup after its creditors rejected Sinochem’s final bid on 31 January, an Inchon Oil source said. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Oxo-alcohol producers seek hikes to regain margins
STRONG pressure from rising raw-material costs and tight supply prompted oxo-alcohol producers to push for higher numbers last week. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Soda ash on a high
Asia is experiencing a shortage of soda ash as Chinese demand rises sharply. VCM values vary widely, with Southeast Asia seeing sharp increases in.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Jin Hua greenfield PVC project put on hold
JIN Hua Chemical Group has suspended its greenfield polyvinyl chloride (PVC) project, said a company source. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

PetroChina mulls Dalian and Tianjin
PETROCHINA is considering building a cracker each in Dalian, Liaoning, and Dagang, Tianjin, China, where it operates refineries, industry sources.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Yinguang delays TDI start-up to H2
GANSU Yinguang Chemical has delayed the start-up of its 24 000 tonne/year toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) project in Baiyin, Gansu, China to H2 this.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Propylene bullish as ethylene falls
ASIAN propylene markets are set to remain bullish in Q2 2005, in contrast to ethylene, which is expected to weaken, producers and traders told ACN. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Soda ash picks up, reaching record high
ASIAN soda ash spot prices touched a new historic high last week. They were kept above US$240-260/tonne cfr SEA on the back of limited supply. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

OX forecast to be short right through April
THERE was no relief in sight for Asian orthoxylene (OX) buyers last week as tight availability and strong mixed xylenes costs kept spot OX prices.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Market Trends: Styrene stays firm
Styrene strengthens during the week, responding to trading sentiment. Mixed xylenes and orthoxylene prices stay high, while benzene values soften more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

CNOOC mulls Daya Bay PTA
CHINA National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) is considering producing purified terephthalic acid (PTA) in Daya Bay, Huizhou, Guangdong, China, according.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Chitianhua plans joint venture
GUIZHOU Chitianhua Co is considering building ammonia, methanol, and dimethyl ether (DME) plants in Chishui, Guizhou, China. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Correction
Esfahan Petrochemical’s phthalic anhydride project will be based on Rollechim’s technology, and not BASF’s as reported in ACN 21 February. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Ester to start Oman PET in 2006
ESTER Industries expects to complete its 24 000 tonnne/year polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film project in Oman in 2006, said a company source. more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Kingboard phenol-BPA in Daya Bay
KINGBOARD Chemicals has selected Daya Bay, Huizhou, Guangdong, China, as the site for its cumene, phenol/acetone, and bisphenol A (BPA) projects, a.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Market Trends: Propylene tightens
Propylene prices rise on strong demand from polypropylene and acrylonitrile. Ethylene, however, continues to dip and may weaken further more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Fuling delays PP project…
ZHEJIANG Shaoxing Fuling Industrial Group has delayed the planned start-up of two new polypropylene (PP) units in Shaoxing Paojiang Industrial Zone,.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Durgapur to start PVC study
DURGAPUR Chemicals plans to start a feasibility study soon on a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) project in Durgapur, West Bengal, India, said a company.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Liaoyang revises PTA start-up
LIAOYANG Petrochemical has delayed the start-up of its purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Liaoyang, Liaoning, China, to June-July next year,.... more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Global roundup
From stories supplied by the CNI and ACN teams more
(11 March 2005 14:05)

Logistics in brief
Ceres bows out Odfjell is taking in-house control of about 16 chemical tankers managed by Ceres Hellenic. A spokesman for Odfjell said that the.... more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Call for joined-up rules
The world’s chemical industry badly needs coordinated regulations for transporting dangerous goods, according to Erwin Sigrist of the Swiss Society.... more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Euroceanica invests
Euroceanica (UK) has agreed to buy seven chemical tankers from Italian shipowner Finaval. The purchase price was not disclosed. more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Profits up for Royal Vopak
Royal Vopak has unveiled an increase in profits for 2004 partly due to favourable market developments in the fourth quarter. more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Logichem awards
The deadline for entries for the Logichem 2005 Award for the best supply chain project of the year is fast approaching. more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

Technology in brief
Catalyst screening UK-based Strata Technology, a spin-off from BP, has introduced a new catalyst screening unit (CSU) that offers long-term,.... more
(11 March 2005 18:11)

BASF rolls out seeds operation
BASF has started operations at a new seed treatment technology centre at its agriculture centre in Limburgerhof, Germany. more
(11 March 2005 18:11)